


Long Night With You

by guangdian



Category: Chinese Actor RPF, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medical, Blow Jobs, Getting Together, M/M, Semi-Public Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:34:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28333197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guangdian/pseuds/guangdian
Summary: med au - Xiao Zhan, an ICU fellow, and Wang Yibo, a first year resident.a.k.a. the one where Xiao Zhan is fascinated by how wide Wang Yibo can open his mouth
Relationships: Wang Yi Bo & Xiao Zhan | Sean, Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan | Sean
Comments: 33
Kudos: 241
Collections: holiday void sugar rush 2020





	Long Night With You

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by these photos of [Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo in white coats](https://twitter.com/bjyxlovebot/status/1334465750514376706?s=20).  
> Also inspired by Wang Yibo's [mouth](https://64.media.tumblr.com/6236dd4e33ab20d92beebd4cd6545cf3/2900821286c51e83-67/s250x400/04aa658ffa96dcf839b3c91c1daecc8d51dc2dbb.gifv) and his way of eagerly putting things in his mouth: [1](https://twitter.com/wybmouth/status/1341216894737629189?s=20) | [2](https://64.media.tumblr.com/584f59ae9966a1278920dd6e05214693/1e443aebea4a766d-04/s250x400/5b3ca3d815ce62276cddd68fb46ed4ccfa73ee4b.gifv)
> 
> Thank you [selfinduced](https://archiveofourown.org/users/selfinduced/pseuds/selfinduced) for being my beta and my moral support. What are our years of education for if not to write more realistic fic?

Yibo looked at his pager. 20:05.

He sighed. Still so many hours left on call. He prayed that at least soon he would be able to grab dinner before all the nearby food options closed. When was the last time that he had gone to the washroom? He wasn't certain, but was reminded of this thought as he chugged down his third cup of coffee, nerves abuzz, probably set on edge as a result of having eaten little else that day. The daytime had kept him on his feet all day, as rounds had ended up taking much longer than usual, their team being called away by the pager all throughout the day. When the teams that weren't on call that night left for the evening, Yibo felt a slight tinge of envy as he heard their excited chatter about going home to be with their families for New Year's Eve. He thought about the delicious meal that his mother would usually cook up, steamed fish to bless them with wealth for the coming year. The thought of it made his mouth water, a gurgle in his stomach reminding him of the sensation of hunger that had been abandoned earlier.

But if Yibo hadn't eaten anything, then that probably meant that  _ he _ hadn't eaten yet either. Yibo worried his lips.

As he tipped back the rest of his coffee, he hesitated before throwing out the empty cup. His thumb traced over the doodle of a chibi version of himself drawn onto the cup sleeve. He separated the sleeve from the cup, slipping the sleeve into his pocket before discarding the rest. At least, the one saving grace of this New Year's Eve on call was that it was with him. Xiao Zhan.

Yibo remembered seeing Xiao Zhan on the first day of his ICU rotation, tall and handsome and with a smile that lit up the area, catching the attention of those who passed by. He introduced himself as the fellow, Yibo's senior on the team. "Let me know if you have any questions. No question is too dumb and if there's anything you're unsure about, please ask. We work as a team, so I never want you to feel like you're alone." 

He looked around at each new person on the team, holding Yibo's eyes for a few seconds, just long enough that Yibo started to feel warmth spread to the tips of his ears, and then the moment was past and Xiao Zhan had moved on to review the new patients from overnight. Yibo had remembered running into this handsome fellow around the hospital, had heard all the whispers about Xiao Zhan being the hottest doc at the hospital. Yibo couldn’t believe his luck that he was going to be working directly with this Number One Handsome Doctor and hoped he wouldn’t do anything too dumb in front of him.

Over the course of the next few weeks Xiao Zhan would live up to his word, ever reliable and always around when he was needed. When a situation arose, he would step in to take charge, and the team would breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Xiao Zhan would have things under control. When other members of the team started to panic, he would be there, a gentle but confident leader, calm in the midst of chaos. He was a wealth of knowledge, but never pretentious about it, and seemed to be aware of everything, while still allowing the other junior team members enough freedom to spread their own wings and grow.

At some point, Yibo started to notice his ubiquitous presence, aware that it meant that Xiao Zhan rarely took a break for himself. Yibo observed when Xiao Zhan would take their team for coffee, only then stopping to gulp down a grilled cheese sandwich, which seemed to be one of the few times that Yibo saw Xiao Zhan eat something more than a snack.

Which was why when Yibo finally finished up with his notes and had a chance to run to the hospital café, he ordered a second portion of dinner. He paused in front of the pastry shelf. He remembered the way Xiao Zhan would enthusiastically reach for baked goods whenever there was some available at the nursing station. Yibo decided to order an egg tart as well - the man needed to eat more - hoping it would be to Xiao Zhan's liking. He sent a quick text to Xiao Zhan, to check in on where he was. His heartbeat quickened when he felt his phone buzz with Xiao Zhan's prompt reply and saw Xiao Zhan's profile photo light up on his display. It was a photo Yibo had snapped while Xiao Zhan had passed him his coffee a few days ago, Yibo teasing him, "Xiao-yisheng is so handsome, so popular with all his patients and all the nurses." Yibo knew that he was overstepping his place as a junior resident, but there was something about Xiao Zhan that made Yibo want to push all his buttons. Xiao Zhan had raised an incredulous eyebrow, just at the moment Yibo took his photo. It was a photo that Yibo did  _ not  _ stare at when he was alone in his own call room. Mostly because he rarely ever made it to his call room.

_ Come to my room. _

Yibo almost dropped his phone after reading the response while juggling with the various food items that he held. Okay, so it was just meeting Xiao Zhan in his call room, probably because it was more spacious and conveniently located within the ICU, a short distance away in case they were called to attend to a patient. He was overthinking it.

He knocked on Xiao Zhan’s door, and was startled when Xiao Zhan opened it almost immediately, his eyes crinkling up as he smiled. “Yibo, come in.”

This close, Yibo could see the faint stubble that had started to show. His mind wandered briefly to the thought of the roughness of that stubble tracing over his skin...he quickly halted that thought. Sleep was clearly not the only thing that he had been deprived of. 

“I brought food. For you.” He shoved the offering in front of him, trying to hide any awkwardness that he might have felt. What if Xiao Zhan said he had already eaten and didn’t want it? What if he didn’t like egg tarts? 

Yibo’s doubts were erased when Xiao Zhan’s face first dropped into a surprised  _ oh _ , then broke into an even bigger grin. “Yibo that’s so sweet of you. _ I  _ should be the one buying you food.” 

“I got you an egg tart as well.” Yibo mumbled, looking down and away. “I didn’t know if you were into that.”

He heard Xiao Zhan’s soft chuckle. “I am into that.”

Yibo looked up, his heart catching in his throat when he saw Xiao Zhan staring back at him. He licked his lips nervously, forgetting how to respond. 

Just then, the shrill beeping of the pager went off, bringing Yibo back to harsh reality. Soon Xiao Zhan’s pager went off in echo and the two looked at each other, smiling as they exchanged a mutual sense of exasperation. Duty called. 

\--

Xiao Zhan had remembered noticing Wang Yibo in the emergency department, on one of his many nights on call a few months ago. 

It was one of those nights where he was consulted several times in a row, and it seemed as if he would never be able to leave the emergency department. As he stepped into the backroom to snack on a granola bar, he noticed that he was not alone in seeking refuge to refuel. At the other end of the room, there was a young man - perhaps a resident - who was scarfing down a pita wrap. Xiao Zhan watched as the young man opened his mouth, then opened his mouth further, and even  _ further _ , to fit what seemed like a disproportionately large amount of wrap into his mouth, in relation to how small his face was. He caught sight of Xiao Zhan staring at him and tried to smile in greeting, but his mouth really was so full, his cheeks bulging. A spot of grease highlighted his supple lips as they moved with each chew. Xiao Zhan cleared his throat, turning his attention away to the crumbled granola bar in his pocket, but found himself distracted every now and then by just how wide that man’s plush lips stretched to fit the large wrap into his mouth. There was just a spot of creamy white sauce at the side of those lips that Xiao Zhan’s fingers longed to brush away. The man looked up again, eyes round and wide, and Xiao Zhan turned away.

Xiao Zhan finished his granola bar quickly, then left, waving goodbye to the young man. He pushed aside the stray thoughts that had entered his mind, leaving behind the man with his round squirrel-like cheeks and lips glossy from grease. 

Later that evening, Xiao Zhan was called yet again to the emergency department. He introduced himself as the ICU fellow, familiarizing himself with those that had gathered. He nodded, recognizing Ji Li, the anesthesia resident whom he had worked with previously, and the attending emergency physician, Dr. Zhang Jingtong. As he listened to Dr. Zhang summarize the situation, Xiao Zhan briefly glanced over at the young man standing beside, and recognized him as the same man that he had seen earlier in the backroom. Seeing Xiao Zhan’s look, Dr. Zhang turned to the man beside him and gestured, “This is my resident, Wang Yibo.” 

Xiao Zhan smiled a greeting, then turned back to the patient, asking Dr. Zhang a few more questions, his focus on the urgency of the situation. He glanced at the numbers on the monitors, then looked at Ji Li, who was standing behind the head of the patient.

“Ready to intubate,” Ji Li stated, looking to Dr. Zhang and Xiao Zhan for further instruction.

Dr. Zhang nodded, turning to Xiao Zhan. “I’ll leave things in your capable hands then. You can have Wang Yibo help you, he’s an excellent first year resident. My medical student, Fanxing, is also here to observe and help in case you need an extra set of hands. Let me know if you need anything.” 

Xiao Zhan took a quick appraisal of the situation and nodded to Ji Li. “Go ahead, Ji Li.” 

Under his guidance, the staff around him mobilized into action to stabilize the patient, following Xiao Zhan’s steady command. Once the patient’s condition was under control, Xiao Zhan took a step back and breathed a sigh of relief. He had a habit of becoming intensely focused whenever there was an emergency situation, almost entering into a trance, where he blocked out anything peripheral that might distract him from the task at hand. With the crisis averted, he now looked back at those around him. Wang Yibo and Fanxing were watching him, awaiting any further instructions that he might have for them. He smiled as he saw the keen look on their faces.

“Thank you for your help. Did you have any questions about what just happened?” 

“What happens next?” Fanxing asked.

“We’ll be bringing this patient to the ICU. I’m just waiting to hear that we have a bed available for him.” He glanced at his watch. “I have time for some teaching, or otherwise you can go back and find your attending. I don’t think there’ll be anything else for you to see while we wait.” 

Fanxing nodded eagerly. Yibo didn’t speak, but just gazed expectantly at Xiao Zhan. Now that Xiao Zhan’s attention was no longer on the patient, he couldn’t help but stare just a moment too long at Yibo. He turned back to face Fanxing, feeling Yibo’s eyes on him. 

“Alright.” He chuckled, recognizing the keenness of junior learners. “Let me see...are you familiar with how we predict how easy someone might be to intubate?” 

Fanxing’s brows furrowed. “There was a scoring system. It started with an M…” His voice trailed off, and he looked towards Yibo for help.

“Mallampati score,” Yibo replied.

“That’s right. Do you know how it’s scored?” 

“You ask the patient to open their mouth, to see how wide they can open and how much you’re able to see at the back of their mouth,” Yibo responded.

“That’s right.” Xiao Zhan nodded. He reviewed the criteria for classification. “If someone is Mallampati class 1, then that means you’re able to see everything.” Thinking back to the scene at the backroom earlier and how wide Yibo’s mouth had stretched, he thought to himself,  _ definitely a Mallampati class 1.  _ He kept this to himself, purposefully  _ not _ looking at those lips. Instead, he caught Yibo still staring at him. Xiao Zhan felt a tinge of guilt for the thoughts that were forming in his mind, but he couldn’t help the funny feeling that he had in his chest with the way that Yibo had been looking at him.

So when Xiao Zhan greeted the new team of residents joining him on this rotation, it didn’t escape his notice that Yibo was one of them.

He had always made it a point to try to get to know a little bit more about his team members, and it was his tradition to buy the team coffee every now and then when there was a bit of downtime. Perhaps he went out of his way to bring coffee to the team more often than before. And perhaps he had Yibo’s order memorized, doodling a cartoon version of Yibo on the cup before he handed it over. He had done this before, sketching personalized drawings on people’s coffee cups, but not since his university days really. Not really ever for one of his residents. He tried not to think too much about it. He just enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing Yibo’s face light up the first time he realized the drawing was of him, his cheeks rising and a subtle dimple forming. 

Xiao Zhan had also memorized Yibo’s expression when he was focused on something, his tongue sometimes peeking out, his eyes intent on their objective. He really was a remarkable resident, quick to learn and hands skilled with procedures. 

Typically Xiao Zhan left the teaching to one of the more senior residents, letting them show their abilities. It just so happened that in that first week the timing had worked out that Xiao Zhan found himself available to coach Yibo through a central line insertion. Yibo had looked at him with wide eyes, “Gege, can you show me?”

Perhaps he had leaned in more closely than he would have usually as he guided Yibo through it. When he saw that Yibo was hesitant, he used a gentle hand over Yibo’s, to help Yibo into the proper position. 

“That’s it, just like that, Yibo,” he murmured into Yibo’s ear. He realized that he didn’t need to have his hand on top of Yibo’s anymore. 

Soon they saw the flash of blood that indicated that Yibo was in the right spot, and Yibo deftly maneuvered the arterial line into place. He looked pleased and Xiao Zhan complimented, “Great work, Yibo, you did really well. Not everyone gets it on their first try like that.” 

Yibo was positively glowing after hearing Xiao Zhan’s praise. “Really, Zhan-ge?” 

“I’m serious. You’re really good with your hands.” Xiao Zhan had encouraged his team to be familiar with him, and he had to admit, he liked it when Yibo called him that.

Yibo smirked. “I know.”

Xiao Zhan saw the sly look in Yibo’s eyes. He laughed, shaking his head, his mind wandering in directions that it shouldn’t be. 

The next few weeks would be an exercise for Xiao Zhan’s restraint. As the team became more comfortable with each other, Yibo’s playful side revealed itself, and it seemed as if he was there to drive Xiao Zhan slowly insane, in both intentional and unintentional ways. 

Like when Yibo would go around singing praises of Xiao Zhan to any nurse that would listen, with the nurses usually echoing in agreement. 

Or when Yibo would pester Xuan Lu, their team’s senior resident and Xiao Zhan’s close friend, about showing him photos and videos from Xiao Zhan’s medical school days, when he had sung on stage as part of their performing arts nights. 

Xiao Zhan, ever the professional, would only smile graciously. Yibo was never disruptive when they actually had patients to attend to, so Xiao Zhan let him be. But even when Yibo wasn’t trying to get his attention, Xiao Zhan found him distracting. Like the time when the team had ordered bubble tea, and Xiao Zhan had very resolutely  _ not  _ been looking at Yibo as he placed his plush lips around the straw to suck up the sweet tapioca balls. Yibo had then offered his drink to Xiao Zhan, his cheeks puffed out with the generous amount of milk tea and tapioca balls that he had taken in all at once. Xiao Zhan had accepted the drink from him, slowly sliding his lips over where Yibo’s lips had been on the straw, staring pointedly at Yibo. Xiao Zhan hid a smirk as he watched a light flush bloom on Yibo’s cheeks. Then cursed at himself as he too felt a little bloom of warmth down below.

There were also the times when they found themselves in a crowded elevator, squished next to each other with little room to breathe. The hospital elevators were dreadfully slow and it seemed like there was always one that was out of operation. With a stretcher rolling in beside them, there had been little choice but for Yibo to stand directly in front of Xiao Zhan, so close that Xiao Zhan could smell his shampoo. As people jostled around to let someone out, Yibo was pushed back against Xiao Zhan, his ass pressing into Xiao Zhan’s front. At that time Xiao Zhan had started to very diligently recite medical trials in his head, praying that his dick wouldn’t give him away at that moment, wouldn’t give away the thoughts that had been popping into his head when he saw his very attractive resident. He forced himself to think about study designs and likelihood ratios, and not about Yibo’s ass against his dick.

Physical attraction aside, Yibo had also proven himself to be a very capable resident. He was dependable and thorough with his work, paying close attention to detail and helping to keep things tidy and organized in their workspace. Xiao Zhan told himself it was perfectly reasonable to be fond of such a competent resident. 

So when he came upon a frustrated family member taking out their grief and sorrow on Yibo, yelling at him about why their daughter had still not recovered, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but lose his usual composure. 

He had been informed of what was happening by one of the nurses and had rushed over to where Yibo was standing, looking down and sullen as the family member continued to berate him. 

“It’s been days, and still you say you don’t  _ know _ what my daughter’s condition will be, or when she’ll wake up. Isn’t that what your job is? To find out?” 

Xiao Zhan closed the distance with long strides, to stand in front of Yibo, putting himself between Yibo and the fuming father. “Excuse me, _ sir _ , with all due respect, I hear that you’re upset and frustrated about the uncertainty of your daughter’s condition. If you want to speak further about your daughter’s care, then I’ll ask you to step outside with me and I can answer any questions you have. But I can’t allow you to take out your frustrations on  _ my  _ resident.” His voice was tense, barely containing the fury that he felt. 

The father looked slightly taken aback at the amount of authority in Xiao Zhan’s tone.

Later, the nurses would comment that that was the most upset they had ever seen Xiao Zhan be, in contrast to his usual sunny composure. Xiao Zhan himself hadn’t been expecting to feel as angry as he had. Few things upset him to the extent of losing his cool at work, but when he had seen the downcast expression on Yibo’s face, something had ignited within him. 

Yibo had approached him later, pushing a piping hot bun in front of Xiao Zhan. “Thank you - for earlier.”

Xiao Zhan, who had still been feeling restless after that encounter, felt something loosen and relax within him when he saw Yibo, an earnest expression on his face. 

“Yibo, are you feeling okay? I’m sorry you had to go through that. The next time anything like that happens, please call me.” 

“It’s okay. I knew that he was upset because he was afraid of losing his daughter.”

“Yibo, that’s very understanding of you. But you have to look after yourself too, and you don’t ever deserve being yelled at, by  _ anyone _ . Definitely not when you’re on my team, under my care. I won’t let it happen again, and if it does, you have to tell me.” 

Yibo’s eyes widened. 

“Yibo, do you understand what I’m saying?” Xiao Zhan’s voice softened. “If anything happens that bothers you, I want to hear about it.”

Yibo looked down and away, finally nodding. He held out the bun in front of him.

“Let’s share this.” Xiao Zhan grabbed the bun out of Yibo’s hand to split it in half, offering the larger half to Yibo.

Yibo swiped the smaller half out of Xiao Zhan’s hand. “Okay.” His mouth opened to almost the entire width of the bun in his hand, taking one large gulp. It seemed like this time he really did stuff his mouth a bit too eagerly, as he sputtered slightly around the bun that he had just bitten off.

Xiao Zhan’s hand shot over to rub Yibo’s back. “Easy, easy. Not so fast.” He brought his own tea bottle over to Yibo’s mouth. “Here.” 

Yibo accepted the tea from Xiao Zhan’s hand and tipped his head back to take a few gulps of Xiao Zhan’s cool tea. After a few moments, he was finally able to swallow everything down. “Thank you, Zhan-ge.” 

They sat there for a few moments, Xiao Zhan looking worried, and Yibo gazing back at him. Then they realized that Xiao Zhan still had his hand on Yibo’s back, and the two looked away awkwardly as Xiao Zhan withdrew his hand hastily, the two of them scooting slightly so that they weren’t sitting as close as they had been.

\--

The patient that the pager had called them to assess was one that Yibo had been looking after. Just this afternoon, he had been speaking with the patient’s wife, a kind woman that was around Yibo’s mother’s age. She came everyday during visiting hours, wringing her hands when she saw her husband’s condition, speaking to him, even when he was unable to answer, with tubes and lines all around him, the monitors simplifying his life force into a series of numbers and waveforms. 

But to her, he was so much more than a set of numbers or a list of medical afflictions. 

Yibo came to appreciate the moments he got to spend with her. When he had a chance, he would try to sit down with her, listening to her stories of her husband. They had met in the patient’s home country, an unlikely encounter that blossomed into a close friendship, which then developed into something more. Because of the political climate at that time, they had decided to move, venturing to a new country where they knew no one else but each other. The wife told Yibo about how the patient had been a well respected professor back home, and how after they had moved, he would pick up restaurant work, construction work, anything that would help pay their bills, set food on their table, to provide for the two of them, as well as the little one they were expecting. She showed Yibo photos of their daughter, now well established and working a successful career on the other side of the country. 

“She’s my pride. Our pride.” The wife was beaming when she looked at the photos of her daughter. Then she would look back up at her husband, lying still on the bed amongst the machines and IV poles. “He has given me so much through the years. He has been so good to me, to our family. He always placed us before himself. He was such a good man - do you know, after he went back to school and became a teacher here, he was so well liked by his colleagues and students? To this day I still receive kind messages from those that he’s trained over the years.” 

Yibo had seen the hints of moisture well up at the corners of her eyes and had given her hand a comforting squeeze. He wasn’t one for many words, but he hoped that she was able to perceive his good intent through this gesture. 

She had smiled back at him. “Thank you, Wang-yisheng.” She dabbed her eyes hurriedly with the tissue that had been balled up in her hands. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she sighed. “It’s time for me to get going now.” She looked back at Yibo. “Will you tell me if anything changes?”

“I will.” Yibo had hoped she would see the sincerity in his eyes. 

“Thank you.” She had then cupped Yibo’s hands in hers, a maternal gesture that was warm and gentle. “Thank you for all that you do, Wang-yisheng, and for listening to this old lady’s stories.” She laughed softly, and when she did, Yibo could see a hint of her youth return to the otherwise sombre expression that she often wore. 

It was her husband who was the patient that was now worsening in condition. As Yibo and Xiao Zhan approached the patient’s room, they were greeted by his nurse.

“Xiao Zhan, thank you for coming so quickly.”

“Yubin, nice to see you. What’s the situation here?”

“The patient has been spiking fevers and we’ve been pushing pressors but he’s not doing great.” 

Xiao Zhan reached for the carefully detailed chart on the table in front of the patient’s room. As he looked it over, he rattled off questions to Yubin, “What have his ventilator settings been? How are his secretions? When was his surgery again? When was his last CT scan? Yibo, can you pull it up for me, please?”

Yibo had already jumped on the computer, anticipating what Xiao Zhan might be looking for. He was always awe-struck by the methodical way in which Xiao Zhan would try to figure things out, his brows slightly furrowed in concentration. 

Yibo sucked in a breath as he felt Xiao Zhan lean over him from behind to look at the monochrome images on the computer monitor, his hand coming to rest on the desk in front of Yibo. Yibo was intensely aware of the warmth radiating at his back, and Xiao Zhan’s face so close beside Yibo’s. If Yibo just turned his head, his lips might even brush against Xiao Zhan’s cheek. Yibo tried to turn his focus back to the images. 

“Scroll through for me.” Xiao Zhan’s breath tickled Yibo’s cheek, his voice sending shivers down Yibo’s spine. Yibo bit his lip hard, trying to distract himself with the pain, to force his attention back to the task at hand. 

Xiao Zhan leaned in closer, brushing against Yibo’s side as he moved closer to the screen to get a better look at the images. 

“What did General Surgery say when they saw him today?” Yibo breathed a sigh of relief when Xiao Zhan moved away again, this time turning to Yibo as he asked this question. 

Yibo reported, “They didn’t suggest any changes to his current management, just said that they would continue to follow.” 

“I think we need to call them back again. Yibo, can you do that? In the meantime, we’ll order another CT scan - stat.” 

Yibo obediently did so. When he returned to the patient’s bedside, the monitors were flashing alarms, the numbers foreboding. Xiao Zhan turned to Yibo. “I’m worried about him. When you get a chance, would you feel comfortable calling the wife to let her know about the change in the patient’s condition? I spoke to her earlier today as well, but you seem to have a good relationship with her. Depending on what happens tonight, he may or may not make it through the night and we should give the wife an update.”

Yibo nodded, a bit shocked at the turn of events. The patient’s condition had always been tenuous, but Yibo hadn’t expected things to change this quickly. 

“Are you comfortable doing so, Yibo? I can also speak to her instead.” Xiao Zhan seemed to have picked up on Yibo’s unease. He was always so observant.

Yibo thought of the wife’s warm hands enveloping his earlier that day. He shook his head firmly. “I’ll do it.” 

Xiao Zhan recognized Yibo’s resolve. “Thank you, Yibo. Let me know if anything comes up that you’re not sure about.” 

Yibo steeled himself for the conversation ahead. It was never easy, having to disclose unwelcome information to patient’s families. He often expected tears, anger, denial - normal reactions to hearing when a loved one was dying. What he hadn’t been expecting was the wife’s gratitude.

“Wang-yisheng. Thank you for telling me. You and the team have been so excellent in looking after my husband.” Yibo felt his heart warm at the grateful tone in the wife’s voice, while at the same time he felt a twinge of guilt. He felt unworthy of the wife’s words of praise. Wasn’t he the one delivering bad news to her? Why was she thanking him? 

She continued, “Xiao-yisheng had talked to me as well today. He told me about my husband’s condition. I know my husband...I know things aren’t looking good.” Yibo heard her ragged sob over the phone and the twinge in his heart twisted further. “I’m so grateful for your care, for calling me. You’ll tell me if anything changes?” 

Yibo nodded, before he remembered that she couldn’t see this. “Yes.” He tried to keep his voice steady.

“Thank you. Thank you, Wang-yisheng. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Yibo hung up the phone, heart heavy. Before he could process the unease that was turning around in his chest, another page called his attention away. He rushed to the ward to where they were called with Xuan Lu, while Xiao Zhan stayed behind to look after the sick patient. 

Once Xuan Lu and Yibo had established that things were under control on this ward, Xuan Lu turned to Yibo. “Why don’t you go back to the unit and see if Xiao Zhan needs any help? I’ll wrap things up here.” She seemed to have seen through Yibo’s unrest. Yibo nodded gratefully and hurried back downstairs, ignoring the mild headache that had started to develop and the soreness of having been on his feet all day. 

When he returned to the ICU, he went to the patient’s bedside. Xiao Zhan looked up. “Yibo, how were things?”

“The patient’s okay, Xuan Lu is just finishing up but she sent me down to see if you needed help with anything.” 

Xiao Zhan nodded, reassured. “Good that you’re here. General Surgery is going to take the patient to the operating room. Surgery is risky, but it’s the best chance he’s got. Thank you for speaking to his wife, Yibo. I think it made it easier for her when we had to call her about the surgery.” 

“Is he still okay right now?” Yibo couldn’t keep an edge of anxiety out of his voice. 

“Yes, we’ve stabilized him, thank goodness. At least until he gets his surgery, which is what he needs right now.” 

Yibo breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly he felt his legs wobble, giving up after having kept him up all these hours without much in the form of sustenance. He felt blood rush to his head and things starting to sway around him. He braced a hand on the counter beside him, blinking. He had ignored his body’s signals for too long and now it was protesting. 

“Yibo?” Xiao Zhan’s voice was filled with concern.

He felt a strong set of arms wrap around him to pull him into a chair, then felt a familiar tea bottle being pushed into his hand. Yibo took a few sips of Xiao Zhan’s tea, but now that he was sitting, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, not able to fully process the sounds around him and what was being spoken to him. 

The next thing he knew, Xiao Zhan had a tight grip around Yibo’s wrist, dragging him away somewhere. Yibo was vaguely aware that they were heading towards Xiao Zhan’s call room, before Xiao Zhan had opened the door and pushed Yibo onto the bed. 

“Yibo, you need to rest. Wait here, I’ll bring you some water. Lie down for a few moments.” 

Yibo started to get up to protest, but Xiao Zhan grasped his shoulders and forced him back down onto the bed, firmly pushing Yibo onto his back and tucking the blankets around him. That shut Yibo up. 

“No arguing. Wait here, okay?”

After standing all day, Yibo really didn’t have much strength left to argue, and suddenly his whole body started to ache, reminding him of how tiring of a day it had been. He heard the door open again soon after, Xiao Zhan’s tall figure rushing in. Before Yibo realized what he was doing, Xiao Zhan had propped Yibo’s head up against his lap, bringing a mug of warm water to Yibo’s lips.

“Drink.” Xiao Zhan’s command gave no room for other options.

Yibo sipped obediently, letting the warmth seep through him, soothing his fatigued body. Between the hot beverage, the blankets tucked snuggly around him, and having his head resting on Xiao Zhan’s lap, with Xiao Zhan’s arm wrapped around him for support, Yibo could feel himself gradually recovering. 

When Xiao Zhan was satisfied that Yibo had finished the entire mug of water, he gently placed Yibo’s head back onto the pillow. “Stay here and rest for a bit, okay?” He stood up to leave.

Perhaps Yibo was still not quite himself, because he found himself reaching out to tug on Xiao Zhan’s white coat, pulling him back. 

“What is it, Yibo?” Xiao Zhan’s voice was soft, tender almost. Or that was just Yibo’s desperate imagination. 

Before Yibo could come up with a reason for why he had stopped Xiao Zhan from leaving, his stomach gave a loud grumble, the sound filling the small call room with its protest. Yibo pulled the sheets up to cover his face, embarrassed at how loud his stomach had growled in front of the man that he had been crushing on for these past few weeks. 

He heard Xiao Zhan laugh. “That’s right, you never had your dinner. The food is probably all cold by now…”

Yibo peeked out from under the blankets and saw Xiao Zhan rummaging through the food on the table, looking for something that could still be eaten. He watched as Xiao Zhan walked back towards the bed, the side of the bed dipping down with Xiao Zhan’s weight as he sat next to Yibo. Yibo let Xiao Zhan pull him up to a sitting position, one arm around Yibo’s shoulders. 

“Eat.” Xiao Zhan held out an egg tart in front of Yibo’s face.

Yibo recognized the tart and protested, “I got that for you, Zhan-ge!” He flushed slightly at his words. 

Xiao Zhan chuckled. “And I appreciate the gift, but you need it more right now, Yibo.”

“No, I can’t, I - but, you haven’t eaten anything yet either!” Yibo’s eyes searched Xiao Zhan’s face for any sign of the other’s fatigue - he must feel just as tired as Yibo, if not even moreso. 

“I’ve had some chips and granola bars. Plus some snacks from the nursing station. I’ll be okay. Eat.” 

“But, I - I’m not eating if you’re not eating!”

“Wang Yibo.” Xiao Zhan’s tone was firm. “I won’t have you fainting on the unit on my watch while we’re on call together. Eat.” 

Yibo found it difficult to argue any further when Xiao Zhan commanded him like that. He looked back at Xiao Zhan, eyes indignant, but obediently opened his mouth to take a bite out of the egg tart that Xiao Zhan was holding. The custard was soft and sweet, the crust still crispy and flaky. Xiao Zhan’s other hand shot out to catch the flakes from Yibo’s mouth. 

“Sorry, I’m making a mess on your bed.” Yibo apologized.

“Don’t worry about that, just eat.” Xiao Zhan held out the egg tart expectantly. 

Yibo continued to eat from Xiao Zhan’s hand, relief now radiating through his body as he finally ate, while reveling in the experience of being fed by Xiao Zhan. As he closed his mouth around the last bit of the egg tart, his lips brushed briefly against Xiao Zhan’s fingers. He looked up at Xiao Zhan, eyes searching. Xiao Zhan was staring back at him, with something unexplainable in his gaze, his eyes wandering down to Yibo’s lips. Yibo licked off the crumbs that were around his mouth, watching as Xiao Zhan’s gaze followed the movement of his tongue. 

Yibo noticed the crumbs that Xiao Zhan had caught in his other hand and was about to help clean off Xiao Zhan’s hand, feeling a slight hint of embarrassment, when Xiao Zhan suddenly brought his hand up to his own mouth, tongue flickering out to lick up the buttery flakes that had fallen from Yibo’s mouth. “There, I’ve had some of the egg tart you gave me now, haven’t I?” 

He then got up and reached for a napkin that had been sitting on the table, and wiped Yibo’s mouth, pressing firmly against Yibo’s lips, before then wiping his own hand clean. 

Yibo stared hungrily at Xiao Zhan, despite having just been fed. Xiao Zhan broke eye contact first, turning his head to the side and bringing a fist up to his mouth as he cleared his throat.  He looked down at his watch. His lips curved up when he saw what time it was, and looked back at Yibo with a smile that spread a warmth through Yibo’s belly even more than that mug of hot water had. “Happy New Year, Wang Yibo.”

Was it really only midnight? The night had felt so long and yet, in this moment right now, Yibo couldn’t have wished to be anywhere else.

“Happy New Year, Zhan-ge.” He searched for words to fill the silence, a silence that was heavy with something that neither one of them was brave enough to acknowledge. “You know I heard that in some countries it’s the opposite from what we do here, where Christmas is for family and New Year’s Eve is for lovers.” What was he saying. He felt his ears burn after the last word he uttered. He really had this habit of putting his own foot in his mouth.

He expected Xiao Zhan to laugh it off, in that soft chuckle of his that Yibo had memorized. Yibo wasn’t in his right mind at the moment, and he hoped Xiao Zhan wouldn’t think too much about what Yibo had just let slip. But instead Xiao Zhan was looking back with a serious expression on his face. As the quiet stretched between them, Yibo felt a growing sense of embarrassment and threw himself back into the bed, reaching for the blankets to cover his ears which were probably a shade of beet red. They always gave him away. 

“Okay I am going to nap for just a bit. Page me if anything happens.” Yibo said robotically from underneath the covers. He could still feel Xiao Zhan’s weight on the bed beside him. Yibo’s heart was pounding as he waited for Xiao Zhan to get up and leave. 

He felt a hand patting his head where it stuck out from underneath the blankets, the touch warm and gentle.

Then Xiao Zhan had stood up and Yibo heard him walk towards the door. The room plummeted into darkness and Yibo shot up out of the bed as he heard the turn of the door knob. 

“Zhan-ge, wait!” 

Yibo could see the silhouette of Xiao Zhan’s figure by the doorway, about to leave. 

“Yibo, what is it?” Xiao Zhan’s voice was as gentle as the hand that had stroked Yibo’s head. 

“I - I like to leave the lights on.” Yibo mumbled, feeling vulnerable as he revealed his longstanding fear of the dark. For some reason, there was something about Xiao Zhan that made Yibo feel more vulnerable than he had ever felt before, around anyone, while at the same time feeling a sense of safety, that made it okay for Yibo to reveal his insecurities. 

Xiao Zhan flicked the lights back on, and when Yibo’s eyes readjusted to the sterile brightness, he saw a flicker of uncertainty flit across Xiao Zhan’s usually composed face. 

“Zhan-ge?”

Then Xiao Zhan returned to sit beside Yibo. His hand reached out, then hesitated, before he placed it on Yibo’s shoulder, thumb stroking beside Yibo’s collarbone. He wasn’t looking at Yibo. “You should get some rest.” 

Yibo reached for the hand that was on his shoulder, then brought it into his lap, thumb tracing over the lines in Xiao Zhan’s palm. When he looked up, Xiao Zhan was now staring back at him, the uncertainty returned to his face. Yibo looked down at Xiao Zhan’s lips, the stubble now in such close proximity. Yibo reached out to graze his fingertips across the roughness.

“Fuck can I kiss you?” Xiao Zhan’s voice broke.

“Yes. Yes.” Yibo breathed. 

Then their lips were crashing together, their noses bumping against each other awkwardly in their haste. Yibo reached his hand around the back of Xiao Zhan’s head to bring him in closer as he tasted the coffee on Xiao Zhan’s breath, losing himself in the taste of Xiao Zhan. Xiao Zhan’s hand cupped Yibo’s face, his other hand still resting in Yibo’s hand. Yibo adjusted so that their fingers were laced within one another’s, the heat spreading from all the points of contact with Xiao Zhan throughout the rest of his body. When Yibo felt Xiao Zhan’s tongue push searchingly, Yibo parted his lips eagerly, his tongue meeting Xiao Zhan’s hungrily. 

When the two finally separated, they stared at each other in silence. 

“Wow.” Xiao Zhan whispered.

“I’m that good, right?” Yibo hoped the smugness would hide how fast his heart was beating, the anxiety of what all  _ that _ had just meant, his fearful hope that it meant what he thought it meant. 

Now Xiao Zhan chuckled. 

“As expected of Wang Yibo.” Xiao Zhan’s smile was bright, a beaming source of comfort. 

The two didn’t have much time to ponder about what had just passed, as they both jumped when the sharp trill of the pager interrupted. 

Xiao Zhan exhaled a ragged breath, his hand clutching his chest after the shock of the sound. Yibo himself must have jumped up about an inch, his heart thumping out of his chest. They looked at each other, at the startled expression on the other’s face, and started laughing. 

  
  


The rest of the night was a blur. Despite not getting any sleep in the end, Yibo felt like he was floating, not at all feeling the tiredness from before. The sick patient from earlier returned to the unit, the surgery having gone well and the patient now seeming to be in better condition. While the consults kept coming in, Yibo felt strangely energized. Every now and then, he would pull out from his pocket the cup sleeve with his chibi portrait and look at it fondly before continuing with what he was doing. 

If Xuan Lu noticed the smile that kept reappearing on Yibo’s face, she didn’t say anything. 

Or if she saw the way that Xiao Zhan and Yibo looked pointedly away from each other whenever they made eye contact, she also kept any thoughts on the matter to herself. 

When the day team arrived in the morning, Yibo was only barely paying attention to handover. He had remembered at some point that this was his last night on call during this rotation, at which point he had started to feel a new sense of unease. Starting next week, he wouldn’t be able to see Xiao Zhan every day like he had been. 

As he hung up after calling the sick patient’s wife to inform her of her husband’s improving condition, Xuan Lu must have observed Yibo’s glum expression. Hazarding a guess, Xuan Lu called, “Yibo!” bringing him out of his daze.

Yibo looked up. 

“You’re coming out tonight right? Did you forget that we’re having drinks as a way to celebrate the end of the rotation? Plus since we couldn’t actually celebrate on New Year’s Eve.” 

Yibo’s face lit up immediately. He would get to see Xiao Zhan again. Nevermind that he just spent the entire evening with him. “I’ll be there!”

As they bid their goodbyes, Xiao Zhan made a point of looking at Yibo with a knowing smile. “See you tonight, Yibo.” 

“Only if Zhan-ge doesn’t oversleep.” Yibo smirked. “The old need more time to recover.”

Xuan Lu covered a smile as Xiao Zhan gave an exasperated look. 

If not for the many nights of sleep deprivation, Yibo probably wouldn’t have been able to fall asleep when he crawled into bed by the time he got home, daylight creeping through his blinds. As it was, he realized he was in fact exhausted, and ended up being the one who almost slept through his alarm when it started blaring a few hours later. 

He felt a sense of nervous excitement as he entered the bar. He had styled his hair for the first time in weeks, wearing a loose button up shirt tucked into jeans that he knew were flattering. As he searched around for the familiar face, his breath caught when he saw Xiao Zhan sitting in the corner. 

He realized he had never seen Xiao Zhan outside of the hospital in his own clothes.  _ Shit _ . It was a simple look, a basic t-shirt with a black leather jacket over top - but how did he look this  _ good?  _

“ZHAN-GE!” If Yibo couldn’t hide his giddiness, then he may as well shout it to the world. 

Xiao Zhan glanced up, an expression of embarrassment, then wonder crossing over his face when he looked -  _ stared _ \- at Yibo as he approached. Okay so Yibo knew he wasn’t looking too bad himself, his face smug as he scooted into the booth beside Xiao Zhan.

Xuan Lu looked at the two of them and smiled, shaking her head. “I’m going to get a couple of pitchers.” She left the two of them alone. 

\--

“Did you get some sleep, Yibo?” Xiao Zhan, concerned as always about Yibo’s wellbeing.

“It was glorious. Did you eat anything?” 

Xiao Zhan smiled. “Why do I feel like you’re keeping track of my eating more than your own?” 

“Because I almost never see you eat.”

“Are you always watching?”

It seemed Yibo didn’t have a smart response for this as that seemed to shut him up. Xiao Zhan watched as Yibo’s eyes flickered down, eyes on his lips. 

Xiao Zhan, not missing Yibo’s gaze, whispered, “The others might get here soon.”

“Then maybe I need to go to the bathroom for a bit.” Yibo whispered back. 

A moment later Xiao Zhan had Yibo pressed against the door of a bathroom stall, their hips rocking against each other, Xiao Zhan’s hot firmness rubbing against Yibo’s. As a whine started to build in the back of Yibo’s throat, Xiao Zhan covered his lips with his own. He thrust against Yibo, forcing Yibo back against the stall door with each movement as Yibo let out little gasps, the rattle of the vibrating door covered by the loud music of the bar outside.

“Zhan-ge, Zhan-ge.” Yibo panted. 

“Hush, we don’t want anyone to hear us.” Xiao Zhan nibbled on his ear, eliciting a stifled cry from Yibo as he bit his own lip to try to prevent the sound from escaping too loudly. 

Xiao Zhan felt Yibo dig fingers into his back through the leather jacket as Xiao Zhan quickened the pace of his gyrating, the friction building between the two. He nipped along Yibo’s jawline, then down his neck, at times letting his teeth graze against Yibo’s skin, the pressure of Yibo’s fingers on his back letting him know that Yibo liked this.

“Do you know how much I had to suffer, seeing you everyday, looking fucking beautiful, looking at me like that?” Xiao Zhan whispered into Yibo’s ear. 

“Like what?” Yibo’s voice was breathy, but still smug as hell.

“You know.” Xiao Zhan’s voice lowered into a growl. “Like you wanted me to fuck you.” 

“Yes, fuck me - fuck me, please Zhan-ge.” Yibo was begging. The brat. 

Xiao Zhan took Yibo’s swollen bottom lip between his, biting, before bringing Yibo back into a deep kiss. He thumbed at Yibo’s hardened nipple through his shirt and soon Yibo was practically mewling, hips rocking up to meet Xiao Zhan’s, before he stiffened within Xiao Zhan’s arms, and Xiao Zhan felt moisture develop around Yibo’s groin, soaking through the other one’s jeans. 

Yibo had a stupid smile on his face as he looked at Xiao Zhan. Xiao Zhan was about to undo his belt to finish himself off, when Yibo stopped him. 

Yibo moved to kneel in front of Xiao Zhan. He licked his lips as he smirked up at Xiao Zhan, undoing Xiao Zhan’s belt and slipping out Xiao Zhan’s firm and leaking cock, wrapping a hand around the base. Xiao Zhan stifled a groan as Yibo licked all along the length, his tongue leaving a slick trail behind. As Yibo smacked his kiss-swollen lips, Xiao Zhan recalled how he had first met Yibo. Now he was watching as Yibo stretched his plush lips around Xiao Zhan’s dick, slowly, slowly taking in his full length. As with everything he did, Yibo was diligent, bobbing up and down, his cheeks hollowing out, gazing up at Xiao Zhan. 

“Fuck. Wait, Yibo, I’m close.” 

At that moment, they heard the swing of the bathroom door, the music from outside flooding in, drowning out the sounds of Xiao Zhan’s heavy panting, before the door swung shut again, and the music was dampened, and Xiao Zhan was forced to bite his lip to try to stop from making any noise. They heard footsteps, then the sounds of someone taking care of business that people normally took care of in the bathroom. 

Xiao Zhan looked down frantically at Yibo, fingers finding their way into Yibo’s hair, squeezing, in hopes of getting him to stop. Yibo stared up at Xiao Zhan, his eyes wide and pleading, but did slowly withdraw, and Xiao Zhan watched as his cock slipped out from within Yibo’s lips. Yibo, hand still wrapped around the base of Xiao Zhan’s cock, instead started to lap his tongue around Xiao Zhan’s leaking head, teasing, tongue encircling around, and Xiao Zhan was already so sensitive that even this sensation was enough to have him throw back his head as he bit into his fist in an attempt to not cry out, feeling himself edge closer and closer to his peak. He looked down desperately, fingers digging into Yibo’s scalp, and was bewildered as he watched Yibo smirk, then take his full length into his mouth once again, this time even deeper than before.

The person outside must have been quite inebriated, not to have heard how earnestly Yibo was working on Xiao Zhan’s cock. Luckily they didn’t stay for long, leaving immediately after finishing what they had come in to do. 

Xiao Zhan let out a loud groan as he released his fist from his own mouth. Yibo continued, and Xiao Zhan watched in amazement as Yibo took his cock eagerly between his flushed lips, with Xiao Zhan’s head hitting against the back of Yibo’s palate. As Yibo started moaning around Xiao Zhan’s cock, the vibration of it was enough to bring Xiao Zhan over the edge as he thrust into Yibo’s mouth, gasping as he released, fingers squeezing within Yibo’s hair. 

When Yibo pulled off, swallowing with a triumphant look in his eyes, Xiao Zhan brought him up to stand in front of him, wiping off the spot of come on his wet lips. He stared at Yibo, looking perfect even in the dim lighting of the bathroom, and brought him in for another kiss, this one gentle and soft. 

When they pulled back again to look at each other, Xiao Zhan asked, “Do you remember when we first met?” 

“You mean way back when in the ER?” 

Xiao Zhan chuckled. “You were eating a pita wrap.” 

Yibo’s eyes widened. “You even remember what I was eating?”

“I remember thinking to myself - that’s a Mallampati class 1 if I ever saw one.” 

Yibo first looked shocked, then burst out laughing. “Zhan-ge, you are such a NERD.” He playfully struck Xiao Zhan’s chest. Then he smirked. “You’ve been thinking about me since then?” 

“I tried really hard not to.”

“You nerd.” Yibo looked pleased. He looked down. “I’m so lucky to have the Number One Handsome Doctor thinking about me.” A glint of mischief appeared in his eyes as he gazed up again at Xiao Zhan. 

Xiao Zhan wanted to wipe the smug smile off his face. “Wang Yibo -” He shook his head. “We should probably clean up. Xuan Lu will wonder where we went, and the others are probably here now.” 

Yibo begrudgingly followed, untucking his shirt to cover the spot of wetness at his front. Xiao Zhan watched how he was dragging his feet, a careful expression on his face. Xiao Zhan sighed. 

“Or I can text Xuan Lu to let her know that we had to bounce.” 

Xiao Zhan knew he was in deep by the way his chest twinged when he saw Yibo’s face light up at Xiao Zhan’s suggestion. He also knew that he wanted to discover more ways to make Yibo smile like that in the future.

\--

The next week when Yibo was starting his new rotation, the slight soreness that he felt whenever he sat down was a reminder of the excellent weekend he had had. When he saw the figure of Xiao Zhan at the other end of the hallway, approaching in his white coat, he heard the tittering of the staff around him at the appearance of the Number One Handsome Doctor. He turned to hide a smile, as he thought of all the ways in which he might tease Xiao-yisheng later, to have him tend to the various areas of tension in Yibo’s body. 


End file.
